


The Spinner & The Mermaid, Part V

by Maplesyrup



Series: The Mermaid 'Verse [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Belle - Freeform, F/M, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, Spinner Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, mermaid, sailors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 07:54:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6896560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maplesyrup/pseuds/Maplesyrup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Part V: Where our Spinner meets with the Sailor about a certain book.</p>
<p>('Tis a short chapter, sorry everyone. It felt right to stop there. Consolation: a cookie to whomever can tell me whom the sailor and *his* mermaid are...)</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Spinner & The Mermaid, Part V

**Author's Note:**

> Part V: Where our Spinner meets with the Sailor about a certain book.
> 
> ('Tis a short chapter, sorry everyone. It felt right to stop there. Consolation: a cookie to whomever can tell me whom the sailor and *his* mermaid are...)

_Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides_  
_Figures dance around and around_  
_To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness_  
_And moving to the pagan sound._  
_Standing on the bridge that crosses_  
_The river that goes out to the sea_  
_The wind is full of a thousand voices_  
_They pass by the bridge and me.  
_ _-Loreena McKennitt_

 

 

_I’ll give you my book. And then you’ll see for yourself._

The sailor’s parting words echoed around the Spinner’s mind and chased him through dreams of his mermaid that night. Dreams that were sharp and full of longing.

He was desperate to know what secrets this book held, if it would reveal a way for him to be with her and he knew to the depths of his soul there was nothing he wouldn't sacrifice to have the chance to hold her, perhaps keep her if she wished it.

His sleep had been fitful and dissatisfying for the dreams where she was just beyond the reach of his fingertips, disappearing into the dark water and mocking his pain, and he gave up his attempts at slumber around the first rays of dawn. He’d spent the night in his cabin aboard the ship, the rest of the crew and Captain having obtained lodgings elsewhere. 

He hobbled bleary-eyed to the deck, grateful to be alone with his turbulent thoughts, and looked out over the bay.

How soon was too soon to find the sailor and ask for the book? How long did he have to wait to learn the price he was to pay for her? What kind of price would it be?

He imagined ancient magics, spells that flayed the skin down to bone and took blood as payment. He would give her his blood, gladly. He’d already given her his heart, what was the flesh on his body if not hers as well? The blood running through his veins was useless without her. She may hold his heart but she was his heartbeat.

A sudden, alarming thought struck him. Perhaps she was the one to pay the cost? His sleep-deprived mind grew dark as he imagined the atrocities she might have to face to be with him. 

The Spinner felt sick. He’d walk through hellfire for her but she would bear no pain for his sake, not if he had any control over it.

He scoffed. What a fool he was. If there was some kind of magic involved, there would no doubt be a price to pay, and it would surely choose what it wanted. He had no say and to believe anything else was stupid.

He eyed the water, half hoping to see her, half worried he would. What would he tell her if she appeared before him then? What if he told her of the book and she didn’t want the same thing? What if she left and never returned, taking his heart with him?

He shook himself free of those thoughts. _No._ If she appeared, he’d go to her, show her he’d taken her shell, accepted her love and see her beautiful face in the early light of day. Perhaps she’d smile at him.

His soul was heavier than normal this day, thoughts of his mermaid failing to comfort him for once and he moved slowly belowdecks back to his room to prepare to meet the sailor. They’d not agree on a specific spot, but he was sure he’d be able to find the younger man at the tavern they’d first met in in last night.

He ambled up the cobblestone street back towards the tavern. Life was just starting to stir around him, maids-of-all-work beginning the drudgery of emptying chamber pots, others letting out a cat or two for their daily hunts, a local delivery boy with a cart of wood making the rounds of the houses. The domesticity of their port never failed to make him smile and true to its fashion, lightened his worries a little as he drew closer to his destination.

The public house was closed when he arrived, and he was disappointed but decided to sit and rest on a bench just near the door and wait. He was content to sit and watch the town life around him as he hoped the sailor and he were of enough of a similar mind to reach the same conclusion as to where to meet.

He’d been sitting for awhile, the early morning sun lulling him into a languid mood as life bustled all around, when the top half of the tavern door opened with a bang, startling him into almost falling off the bench. The buxom serving maid from the night before leaned over the half-door and sized him up, asking if that’s where he spent the evening, and what a pity, for she had a much warmer and softer place he could have laid his head. 

He flushed when she winked at him but managed to stand, with the assistance of his cane, and ask whether she’d seen the man he’d spoken to at their table last night?

She crossed her arms under her ample bust, quite obviously trying to attract his attention there as she hummed in thought. He kept his eyes on her face.

Seeing her little game wasn’t working, she sighed and rolled her eyes in annoyance, announcing that yes, she’d seen the sailor, he’d taken the first upstairs room of the tavern. All alone, more’s the pity, and the Spinner could see she truly meant it. Poor thing was barking up the entirely wrong trees but he didn’t have it in him to be cruel to her about it.

He thanked her, producing a silver coin from his pocket and extending it to her. She took it with a smile and nod of thanks, opening the lower half of the door and holding it for him. He thanked her in turn and made his way in on his uneven gait.

The Spinner located the stairs at the back of the tavern that no doubt led to the lodgings, and made his way over, taking his time to ascend them so as not to irritate his healing injury further.

He reached the second floor landing, finding the first door the girl had mentioned and knocked, hoping the sailor was already awake. 

The door creaked open, revealing a somewhat cranky and disheveled-looking man, the same one from the night before, and obviously irritated at being woken so early.

The Spinner was apologetic, but the younger man waved it off, grumbling about going back to his ship that day anyway. He pulled the door the rest of the way open in welcome, and the Spinner entered, his cane clacking rather loudly on the wooden floor.

The sailor shut the door behind him and sat on the bed, gesturing for the Spinner to take the chair opposite. He rummaged around in a bag underneath his bed for a moment before pulling out a small, thick book, crudely bound but secure enough to the Spinner’s eyes. The younger man sat up straight, contemplating the book and brushing invisible dust from the cover with a kind of gruff affection.

He held the book aloft, giving it a shake for the benefit of the Spinner, and started with a warning. He cautioned the Spinner about the price to be paid for use of magic, that it decides what it wants and will take it however it can. It’s not necessarily a bad price, but if you go into such magical dealings unwary, it will cost you more for your unpreparedness.

The Spinner asked the young man what kind of magic the book held. Dark? Blood?

The sailor laughed and shook his head.

“No. Nothing so nefarious as that. It’s about balance.”

He spoke of magical balance in the natural world, and the price to be paid for the use of magic, just as the Spinner suspected. All things require balance to sustain themselves, magic would be no different.

In this particular case, the balance required a trade.

The sailor opened the book, the spine creasing smoothly to a specific place, and the Spinner could tell this page had been pored over many a time. The sailor’s fingers trailed over the words lovingly, and he spoke them from memory as he handed the book to the older man.

The words were in latin, that much the Spinner could tell, but beyond that he was at a loss. He grew frustrated; how was he supposed to know what to do if he couldn’t read the spell in front of him?

He expressed as much to the sailor, who gave him a secret smile, and told him to be patient.

The Spinner scoffed. Patience? He’d _been_ patient, he’d been waiting his entire life to find someone to truly love and be loved by in return and now that he’d found her, he had to do even more waiting. 

Exasperation at being denied the one thing he truly wanted got the better of him, his words landing unkindly on the one person who seemed like they could help him. His cheeks flamed with embarrassment at his outburst, and he stammered an apology.

The sailor waved it away, his expression alight with something raw, desirous and almost feral in its intensity. He repeated his question from the night before to the Spinner, only this time, something had changed his words. An almost imperceptible shift of atmosphere happened between them and it sunk into the Spinner’s bones, chilling and burning all at the same time.

“What would you do to be with her?”

His thoughts were wild with possibly and he said so.

“Anything.”

The sailor’s face broke into a wide smile.

“Then we have work to do.”

**Author's Note:**

> I can see this wrapping up in 8 parts, maybe 7 depending on how it goes. But for now, there's still work to do, as the Sailor said, so I hope you'll stay with me to the end.


End file.
